Budgerigar
One of the world’s most familiar parrot species, the budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) is best known to many as a hugely popular cage bird. However, this small, slender, long-tailed parakeet is also notable for being one of the most abundant members of the parrot family in its native range in Australia. Although captive budgerigars come in a variety of colours, the wild budgerigar is predominantly green and yellow. Its forehead, face and throat are bright yellow, while the rear of the crown and the sides of the head are yellow with fine black barring that extends down over the eyes. Further down the back, the fine barring gives way to heavier bars that produce a scalloped appearance. The lower back and uppertail-coverts of the budgerigar are bright green. The budgerigar has long, pointed wings, with black and green wing feathers that are edged with yellow. A prominent yellowish to white wing bar is visible in flight. The budgerigar has light green underparts and underwing-coverts, and its long, tapering tail is bright bluish-green with a conspicuous yellow band across each side, near the base. The side of the budgerigar’s face is marked with a prominent violet patch and a row of three round, black dots. This species has a rounded head and a small, compact beak, which is brownish with a yellow tip. The adult budgerigar’s eyes are white and its legs are grey. The male and female budgerigar are similar in appearance, but can be told apart by the colour of the cere, which is blue in adult males and brownish in adult females. Juvenile budgerigars are distinguished by their dark eyes and the barring on their forehead, and develop their adult plumage at about three to four months old. The budgerigar is the only species in its genus, and is difficult to confuse with any other parrot due to its small size, its distinctive patterning, and its long, pointed wings and tail. The calls of the budgerigar include a continuous, warbling ‘chirrup’ or ‘chedelee… chedelee’, interspersed with whistles and screams. This small parakeet also gives a sharp chattering in alarm and a subdued screech. In captivity, the budgerigar is famous for being able to mimic other sounds, including human speech. Certain parts of the budgerigar’s plumage reflect ultraviolet light, which may enhance its bright colours and play a role in mate selection. Gallery Budgerigar (Song of the Sea).jpg Life.of.Pi Budgies.jpg Blue parakeet.jpg Okapis Meerkats African Elephants Wildebeest Hyraxes Bonobos Chimpanzees Gorillas Orangutans African Penguins Gerenuks Secretary Birds Cheetahs Nile Crocodiles Nile Hippopotamuses Black Rhinoceroses White Rhinoceroses Ostriches.jpg Star meets Budgie.png Toledo Zoo Buderigar.png Avians by SameerPrehistorica.jpg 03FCB951-E16D-4391-9BB7-640B4E3B2D54.png Tampa Lowry Park Zoo Budgies.png Books B1A6A865-14A0-4A2F-8089-93E982ADE339.jpeg 98B5F8A6-FC95-4B08-8655-D2769AA2E483.jpeg B358E74C-5230-5241-B45B-F649740A239C.jpeg 80468807-4CD8-4773-B0B8-41C27149E5FF.jpeg E58C1108-E1ED-427D-BA0F-409C209B350C.jpeg 25B0EE9D-D133-46E4-9D65-38BA6663B419.jpeg 2CAC5461-35B7-43D7-A072-FE01DFBE383A.jpeg 2A88EBB2-24C7-5D06-06AB-37D5A2FD902A.jpeg 1E59C8A7-53E2-457D-8BE4-5962D7CA87CB.jpeg Category:Characters Category:Animals Category:Australian Animals Category:Parrots Category:The Secret Life of Pets Animals Category:Song of the Sea Animals Category:ZooParc de Beauval Animals Category:Blank Park Zoo Animals Category:Memphis Zoo Animals Category:Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium Animals Category:Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Animals Category:Turtle Back Zoo Animals Category:Craig of the Creek Animals Category:Higglytown Heroes Animals Category:Teen Titans Animals Category:6teen Animals Category:Kalahari Animals Category:Pet Dictionary Animals Category:Over 100 Questions and Answers to Things You Want to Know Animals Category:Star Vs. The Forces Of Evil Animals Category:Stanley Animals Category:Desert Animals (Over 100 Questions and Answers to Things You Want to Know) Animals Category:Endangered Animals (Over 100 Questions and Answers to Things You Want to Know) Animals Category:Clifford's Puppy Days Animals Category:Illumination Entertainment Animals Category:Danny Phantom Animals Category:Clint Twist Animals Category:Fish Hooks Animals Category:The Mighty B Animals Category:Birds (Eye Wonder) Animals Category:Eye Wonder Animals Category:DK Encyclopedia Of Animals Animals Category:Fantastic World of Animals Animals Category:Usborne World Wildlife Animals Category:Usborne World Wildlife: Grassland Wildlife Animals Category:The Great Animal Search Animals Category:What is a Bird Animals Category:Homer Almighty Animals Category:Frankin Park Zoo Animals Category:The Life of Pi Animals Category:Over the Hedge Animals Category:Rio Animals Category:The Jungle Book Animals Category:Henry's Amazing Animals Animals Category:Tap Zoo Animals Category:Shelter Summer Animals Category:Lowry Park Zoo Animals Category:The Usborne World of Animals Animals Category:I Wonder Why Vultures Are Bald Animals